


Finding Each Other

by MishMoosh



Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band)
Genre: Bands, Fluff, Healing, How Do I Tag, Idols, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-07-17 08:51:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16092221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MishMoosh/pseuds/MishMoosh
Summary: Junhee needed something desperately, something he lost during his 4 year solo artist career. Donghun, main vocalist of a local band A.C.E, seemed to have everything, but maybe he just didn't know what he was missing. Music leads them to each other and from there, things start falling into place. As always, Chan, Byeongkwan, and Wow provides all the fun, trouble, and advice that they could ever need along the way.





	1. Forgotten Words

_ ‘Jun Suffers a Major Fall on The Show’  _

_ ‘Another Hiccup in Jun’s Comeback’  _

_ ‘Fallen Genius Falls to Lower Levels’  _

           Junhee snorted at the last article title and tossed his phone aside. He flopped face down on his bed and buried his face in his pillow, letting out a silent scream. Flashbacks of today came rushing back to him. 

           From the moment he got up today, something felt off. On the way to SBS, he almost got in a fender bender. During morning rehearsals, his in-ear kept malfunctioning, causing rehearsal to go longer and his breakfast to go uneaten. He went directly to the salon where a hair stylist accidentally spilled coffee all over his lap. Luckily, his stylist had an extra pair of jeans, but unfortunately they were a little tighter than he was used to. After changing, he rushed back to the studio and prepared for his live recording. As he stood in the wings of the stage, he felt tired and hungry and had a splitting headache from the morning’s, let’s say ‘excitement’.

           Perhaps he should have known then that he needed to be extra careful on stage so that his morning streak didn’t continue. But all he wanted was to finish quickly and enjoy a moment of peace afterwards. He waved at the cheering fans as he walked on stage, took his place, and the music started.

           First verse and second verse went by without any hitches, and then the chorus. He leapt into the air as his choreography dictated, but due to the restriction of his jeans, he couldn’t get as high as he intended and landed awkwardly. He continued on through third verse with a practiced smile plastered to his face. The chorus came again, but when he landed his jump this time, he felt a jolt through his right ankle and knew that something was wrong. The bridge allowed him a quick breather and then came the final chorus. He leapt for the last time,trying to favor his right ankle as he landed, but instead he lost his balance and landed on his backside. 

           He should’ve gotten up immediately and finished the song as any pro should do. But he laid there, frozen for a moment too long and before he knew it, the song ended on its own, with its singer still on the floor.

           Junhee could only sigh as he recalled the memory. 

           “Jun-ah. Come out and have some dinner,” his manager, Chanwoo, called from the kitchen. Junhee flipped onto his back and stared at the ceiling of his unlit room. That was another thing that bother Junhee. His manager and staff at Beat Interactive didn’t say much after the incident. They took him to the doctor who announced that the ankle injury wasn’t very serious. He only needed to refrain from any strenuous activity until the swelling went away. He was given some pain meds and sent home for the rest of the day. In fact, when he recounted his accident to the staff, the stylist apologized and the rest only gave him words of comfort and encouragement. That only made him feel even guiltier. Even in his mind, Junhee thought he acted unprofessionally and had let down his fans and staff, much like with the rest of this comeback’s promotion so far.

           Suddenly the room felt too small and the air harder to breathe. Junhee rolled off the bed and threw on a hoodie before heading out of his room and across the living room where his manager was setting down the ddukbokki he made onto the table.            

           “Where are you going?” Chanwoo asked as Junhee pulled on his sneakers.

           “Need some air.”

           “What about dinner?” his manager called, but Junhee was already halfway out the door.

           “I’m not hungry, eat without me. I’ll be back soon.” Junhee yelled back as the door slammed behind him. 

           It was just past 10 pm and the streets of Hongdae were crowded tonight as usual. People were hanging out at bars or heading off to the clubs. Others were just making their way back home after a long day at work. Junhee had his hoodie pulled down over his face and let his feet set his destination as he wandered the busy streets. 

           He stopped at the edge of a crowd which was watching a few high schoolers busk under the streetlights. The boys were dancing to the latest beats and even to Junhee’s eyes they were pretty good and the onlookers cheered as their performance came to an end. Junhee clapped along, and for a moment, he was just another normal guy. No one’s attention was on him and he didn’t have to worry about his every action. He was a shadow that the spotlight could not find and that was a comfort that he hadn’t felt in a long time. 

           Junhee skimmed over the faces of the audience, taking in the unfamiliar feeling until his eyes fell on a pair of girls directly opposite of him. He recognized them as two of his more passionate fans and before they could realize that their idol was no more than 10 feet away, Junhee turned on his heels and ducked into the closest doorway which happened to lead into an underground bar. 

           It was dimly lit inside, which suited Junhee perfectly. The room was a bit more than half full and a muted buzz filled the air. The attention was mostly turned towards the live band who was preparing their next song on a small stage across the bar. Junhee turned away from it and made a beeline for the far end of the bar counter where it was empty and took a seat, still hiding under his hoodie. 

           “What can I get you?” the bartender asked, giving him a strange glance. 

           “Beer please.” The bartender nodded and turned toward the tap. While he was filling up the glass, a voice sounded through a mic from across the room. 

           “The next song is for the people who’ve had a tough day.” A small applause sounded before giving way to the soft sound of a guitar. 

_            The words that you said before _

_            I couldn’t understand it _

_            You were always smiling back then _

_            But I could see the loneliness inside you  _

           Junhee spun around, not believing his own ears. It was his song. A side track from his first album. But it was arranged differently for the band and the husky voice that was singing made it almost sound like a different song all together. 

           On stage were 4 men: 1 drummer, 1 bassist, and 2 guitarists. They all looked like they were in their early-mid 20s, but each gave off a distinct vibe. The blonde drummer was in the back providing a steady beat, but even from across the room, Junhee could see sweat glistening on his face, and the crease in his brow was an indication of his passion for performance. The bassist had jet black hair that brushed over his eyes. His mannerisms radiated solemnity and made it almost seem as if he was in his own world despite being perfectly in sync with his bandmates. The guitarist on the right with curly blonde hair was born performer despite looking like the youngest among the group. His body rocked back and forth with the rhythm of the music and the gaze he casted over the audience was almost electrifying. But the one who caught and held Junhee’s attention was the guitarist at the center of the stage who was also the owner of the husky voice. He had short dark hair that was spiked away from his face, showing off a set of strong facial features. Dark brows framed a set of sad yet knowing eyes. The singer clutched the mic with both hands as he sang the the chorus tenderly. 

_            My voice for you, can you feel it? _

_            If it’s not too late, I hope my heart can reach you _

_            Those times when you were alone, those days _

_            Please say ‘You really did well, my star’ _

           Words that Junhee had written for himself so long ago. Words that he had forgotten. His heart ached as he listened to this stranger bring back a part of him. Why was it that for the first time today, Junhee felt like he could actually breathe?

           Unknown to Junhee, the bartender was watching him out of the corner of his eye after having placed the beer on the counter behind the idol. Junhee’s hoodie had slipped partially off when he turned around and the bartender caught a glance of the mysterious man’s face. He might have wondered why the man’s face looked familiar, but what was more curious to him was that tears were dripping down the man’s cheeks. And throughout the rest of the performance that night, Junhee’s eyes never left the band and the bartender never saw Junhee touch his beer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1: Song lyrics are from 5tar by A.C.E


	2. A Fan

       Customers were leaving table by table as the night drew to a close. The band had sung their last song a while ago and the members were enjoying a beer and occasionally laughing amongst themselves. Still huddled in his isolated corner of the bar, Junhee watched them from the corner of his eye, debating whether he should go up to them. 

_        A.C.E. _ Junhee mouthed the word silently, trying it on his tongue. That was how the band introduced themselves during their closing. He smiled. Even though Junhee made it a point to ignore interactions with strangers, he had a strong urge to walk up to the band’s table and tell them that he thought their name for very fitting.

       BBZZZ. Junhee jumped at the sound of his phone’s vibration and hastily picked it up. 

       “Hello?”

       “Jun, its Chanwoo. I just wanted to check that you were back home since you were still out when I left.”

       Junhee glanced at his watch for the first time since he entered the bar and saw that it was already half past 12. 

       “Uhh, yeah hyung, I’m almost back home.”

       His manager let out an audible sigh on the other end of the line. 

       “Jun-ah, you shouldn’t stay out that late, it’s dangerous.”

       “I know. I’m just a block from the apartment. Don’t worry, I’ll be up bright and early for tomorrow.”

       “Tomorrow you only have a radio schedule in the afternoon, so you can sleep in. I also don’t want to see you in the practice room at the break of dawn. You are not to dance until your leg is fully healed. Orders from the doctor. And the CEO.”

       Junhee groaned internally.

       “Speaking of which, the CEO wants to talk to you tomorrow.”

       Junhee felt his stomach drop.

       “We’ll go to the office together after the radio schedule,” Chanwoo continued. And after a long silence from Jun’s end, “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing bad. She just wants to touch base on how you’re doing.”

       “Alright, hyung. I’ll see you tomorrow ok? Good night.” Junhee put his phone down and sighed. Any distraction or relief he gained that night disappeared just like that. He took one last glance at the band and headed for the door. But just as he reached the entryway, he stopped. 

       Ugh, I’m going to regret this, he thought. He turned around and stomped directly over to the band’s table. He happened to approach them just as there was a lull in their conversation so he took the chance.

       “Hi,” Junhee said, probably a little too loudly since the two men that were facing away from him jumped at his voice. Suddenly, four pairs of eyes were on Junhee. This was the most attention he’s received all night and so his mind blanked. 

       “Can we help you with something?” the drummer asked. 

       Junhee’s mouth opened and then closed again. He took a breath and tried again. 

      “Hi.IjustwantedtosaythatIreallyenjoyedyourperformancetonight.Youguyswerereallygreat.AndthenameA.C.Ereallyfitsyou.IhopeIcancome watchyourperformanceagainsometime.Ifthat’sokay.Ifnot,that’sokaytoo.I’mgonnagonow.Haveagoodnight.Seeyouaround.Maybe.Ifthat’sokay.” Junhee made a 90 degree bow and rushed out of the bar. 

       The four members stared, dumbfounded, at the spot that Junhee occupied a moment ago. 

       “What was that?” 

       “What did he say?”

       The boys shrugged at each.

       “But didn’t that guy look like the idol Jun?” asked the blonde drummer. 

       “Which Jun? U-kiss Jun?” the other blonde scrunched his brows trying to recall what all the various Juns in the entertainment world looked like. 

       “No, the soloist.We even cover his songs sometimes.” 

       “Park Junhee,” the main vocalist stated to no one in particular. 

       “Ohh, I know him. I saw him on Weekly Idol before,” the bassist paused. “He talks faster than I thought he would. I wonder if he’s training for rap. He wasn’t that great at it on Weekly Idol.”

       The others bursted out laughing and soon moved on to other topics. They talked about the happenings at their day jobs and the new pieces of music they were looking to cover. But occasionally, the dark-haired vocalist would glance over at the entrance. Although he would never admit it to the others, a small part of him thought that just maybe their new fan would pop back in.

 

       Junhee finally reached the safety of his apartment and sank to the floor. He rested his head in the palms of his hands and sighed for the nth time. Great, another failure to add to this unending day, he mentally scolded himself. How did his normally eloquent speech turn into a rambling mess just when he needed it. He didn't even get a good look at the members before bolting from the scene. This left the undeniable sense of embarrassment and regret that he was feeling now as his only proof of meeting the band. Again, he sighed. 

       Junhee lifted himself off the floor and attempted to physically shake his stress away. When that didn't work, he headed for his bed, hoping that sleep will be his cure. As he passed the living room though, his stomach growled and he stopped midstep. The faint scent of the ddokbukki his manager had left in the living room drifted towards him, making Junhee turn and plop himself down on the floor next to it, not bothering with the lights. At times like this he was grateful for his manager’s thoughtfulness, although at other times it was quite overwhelming. He was too worn out to do anything besides sit and eat so he picked up the entire pot of ddokbukki and took a bite. Cold and a bit overcooked, he decided, but still welcomed by his empty stomach. He switched on the TV in front him to some documentary of a foreign country and leaned back, settling himself against the sofa behind him. Finally comfortable, he allowed himself another bite of ddokbukki.

       He watched the TV screen in front of him intently, but even with tempting exotic destinations flashing across the screen, Junhee’s mind was still at the bar a couple blocks away. Melodies from that night’s performance sang through his head and when one ended, another picked up seamlessly from where it left off. Before he knew it, Junhee fell asleep, still clutching the pot of unfinished ddokbukki in his lap. 


	3. Proper Introductions

           At dawn, Junhee woke up to a cramp in his neck. He took a much needed shower, but true to his word with his manager, he didn't head to the practice room as he normally would. Instead, he slid into the comforts of his bed and fell back to sleep.

           Towards noon, he woke up to his manager’s call, feeling more refreshed than he had in a long time. Luckily, today’s schedule wasn't a visible radio so there was no need to rush to the salon. Instead, he got dressed leisurely. He picked out an oversized maroon sweater paired with black jeans. He pulled on a beanie to cover his disheveled hair and specs for good measure. As always, he put on his dog tag necklace last and then headed out the door.

           The radio schedule went rather well and he was able to sing his songs with a well rested voice. When a listener asked for a song recommendation, he suggested his own song, Star, from last night. The DJ egged him on to sing a bit of it acapella so Junhee complied, but he sang the rendition that the band performed rather than his own.

           Junhee smiled from the backseat of his van, recalling the incident. Perhaps if the dark haired singer had heard Junhee’s imitation of him, he wouldn't have liked it, but Junhee felt a little giddy just thinking there was a chance that the band was listening at all.

           “We’re here,” Chanwoo announced as they reached BEAT Interactive’s headquarters.

           Together, idol and manager, headed directly to the CEO’s room. On the way, they passed by some young trainees who bowed to them respectfully. Junhee nodded back, but deep down he still wasn't used to seeing them around. Junhee was the company’s first and currently, only active artist. He had trained by himself for 3 years before making his debut at the age of 19. He had always loved writing and performing his own songs, but it shocked him when the company decided to use one of his own songs as the debut single. What shocked him more was how well received it was by the audience. It rocketed up the music charts and stayed in the top 10 for several weeks, and soon everyone was talking about the sudden ‘monster rookie’ from an unknown company.

           BEAT took everything in stride and quickly prepared for his first full album, using many of Junhee’s self written songs to stack the track list. Junhee was, of course, ecstatic. All the songs that he’s kept to himself for years were finally being shared with others. Following the release of that album, Junhee got his first music show win and at the end of that year, won the title of rookie artist of the year.

           Standing in front of the CEO Hyerim’s door, Junhee couldn't help but wonder where it all went sideways. Chanwoo knocked on the door and a faint “Come in” echoed from inside. As Junhee and Chanwoo walked in, Hyerim was getting up from her desk and gestured them towards the couch in the center of the room.

           “Thanks for coming Jun” she said, “how's the ankle feeling?

           “It's better. It didn't hurt that much to begin with.”

           “That's good to hear. We should go for another check-up in a few days though,” Hyerim nodded, but Junhee could tell she was beating around the bushes.

           “Chanwoo hyung said you had something to talk to me about,” Junhee moved the conversation along even though he didn't really want to.

           “Right. That's right.” Hyerim looked away for a second and when she looked back, it wasn't with the eyes of Junhee’s CEO, but rather the eyes of a mom, a role she often took on during Junhee’s trainee days.

           “Recently, I noticed that you haven't been quite yourself.” Hyerim raised an eyebrow at him almost as if to make it a question rather than a statement. When Junhee didn't respond, she sighed and pushed forward. “I think it's because of all the stress from this promotion. I know we didn't quite get the results we were hoping for, but I’ve been thinking it's taking more of a toll on you than it should be. And after yesterday’s incident, I'm sure of it. Do you want to talk about it?”

           Junhee felt shame rise to his cheeks. He shouldn't have had to worry Hyerim like this, after everything she’s done for him. The CEO and the rest of the staff had put all their faith in him when they first formed the company.  He was just a normal kid back then, but they gave him a dream and the hope and means to achieve it. Their support made him who he was today and to think that he couldn't pay them back or even worse, disappointed them, made Junhee feel sick to the stomach.

           Chanwoo suddenly put a hand on Junhee’s shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze. He turned to see his long time manager and friend give him a small smile. Tears crept to the corners of Junhee’s eyes and he turned away before they could spill out.

           “Yesterday was just an off-day,” Junhee explained, when he got his emotions under control again. “I know I’m usually perfect on stage, but even I get a bad day every so often,” he continued, trying to force out a smile and bravado that he did not have at the moment. He saw Hyerim and Chanwoo exchange glances.

           “Jun-ah, I think you should take a break for a while. I’ve talked to Chanwoo about it and he agrees that maybe you’ve been pushing yourself too hard by having a comeback so soon after your last album. You need to take some time and think about where you want to go from here rather than just blundering blindly forward.”

           “Yeah, I think you should listen to us this once Jun. I’ll clear your schedule and you can take a well deserved rest” Chanwoo added. The silence in the air was so thick, a knife could cut through it. When Junhee finally spoke, it was barely a whisper.

           “How long?”

           “Honestly, I’m not sure. As long as you need. We can hold down the fort for now. The Phoenix kids are about to debut soon, so the public won't question a hiatus too much. You should go out and see all the other things the world has to offer. Go be a kid. Explore. Fall in love. We’ve held you captive for way too long.” Hyerim smiled. “But don't go too wild. I still expect you to come back in one piece.”

           With that, the CEO got up and walk back to her desk. Perhaps she was even a little embarrassed at her speech, but they were words that had to be said. Jun has held a soft spot in her heart since she first met him at the tender age of 16. To this day, Junhee was still that young boy to her, but due to necessity, she's been forced to treat him as an adult and an equal over the past few years. Junhee took on all the responsibilities and pressure without complaint, and honestly Hyerim couldn't thank him enough. But now, it was time to lessen his burden in hopes that he will come back as the person he wanted to be rather than who everyone else thought he should be.

 

           After Hyerim dismissed the two, Chanwoo led Junhee back to the car silently. He glanced back at Junhee every so often to make sure he was still following, but Chanwoo could tell that the boy wasn't truly there.

           Junhee was lost in his thoughts, but they were fragmented and incoherent, pulling his mind in a thousand directions all at once. He thought about yesterday's stage. He thought about the trainees he met earlier who were about to make their debut. He thought about his early morning practices. He thought about his unfinished songs waiting in the studio. He thought about his fans. He thought about his family and the day he told them about his debut. But none of these fleeting thoughts gave him an answer to the one question that kept echoing in the back of his mind: what was he supposed to do when he got up tomorrow morning?

           When Chanwoo finally called Junhee out of his stupor, they were already back at the apartment. His manager left him in front of the building with the promise that he’ll call later that night in case Junhee needed anything. Junhee had half a mind of going upstairs and sleeping through the rest of the day, but the other part of him didn't want this day to end, so instead he headed back out into the streets.

           It was a late Saturday afternoon, but dark clouds were hovering over Hongdae, threatening most people from going outside. Junhee kept his eyes to the ground and once again let his feet guide him through the quiet streets. They led him right back to the discreet entranceway of last night’s bar. In the daylight, Junhee took a closer look at the exterior. On either side were brightly lit cafes while the bar’s entrance seemed to just act as a divider for the two. The sign above the doorway wrote ‘Fate’s Night’ in plain lettering and on the door hung a simple poster that offered discount happy hours and a live band to its customers. Surprisingly, there was also a sign that said ‘OPEN’. Junhee suddenly felt that right now was a good time for a bottle of soju so he walked through the doorway and headed downstairs.

           Inside, there were only two other people. The bartender from last night was wiping some beer glasses behind the counter and a man that looked like he frequented bars way too often sat at a table on the far side. Junhee walked up to the bartender.

           “You guys are open early.” Junhee commented as he sat down at the counter.

           “There's no reason for me to turn away people who want a drink,” the bartender replied, “Can I get you something?” If he recognized Junhee from last night, he didn't make a comment.

           “Soju, please.”

           The bartender cracked open a bottle and placed it in front of Junhee. Junhee glanced at the bartender’s name tag which read 운명, Korean for Fate.

           “Is this your bar?”

           “Yes. It used to be my father’s, but I’ve been running it for a while.”

           “Is your name really Fate?”

           The bartender smiled. “No, but that's just as good a name as any. You can call me Yoon if you’d like.”

           Junhee wasn't sure if the bartender just offered up his real name or if it was yet another alias. Just as he was about to ask, he was interrupted.

           “Hi, you’re the guy from last night right?” Without warning, A.C.E’s drummer stole the bar stool next to Junhee.

           Flustered, Junhee scrambled for a response. “Y-yes. What are you doing here?”

           “What do you mean? We perform here remember. But what are _you_ doing here again?” The blonde squinted at the idol in front of him before his eyes widened. “Wow, you really are that idol Jun, aren't you.”

           Junhee blushed and suddenly realized that his beanie and glasses were a flimsy disguise. He felt quite naked as the boy scanned him from head to toe. “You look quite different on and off stage though,” the drummer continued and Junhee turned another shade darker in the cheeks. “I’m Byeongkwan, drummer for A.C.E.”

           “Nice to mee--”

           “Byeongkwan, why’d you leave without me!?” In came the bassist, panting as he joined the rest of them at the bar.

           “Sehyoon, you take way too long to get ready.”

           “I wasn't getting ready… I was finishing up my lunch….”

           “You mean you were finishing up your second lunch. You had two burgers,” Byeongkwan said pointedly. “I thought you had bought the second one for me, but you didn't even offer.” the blonde pouted and turned towards Junhee, showing his back to the now guilty looking boy behind him.

           “Ah sorry, Byeongkwan. It's just that I didn't have breakfast…” Sehyoon trailed off. Byeongkwan made a little huff before continuing the conversation with Junhee.

           “So what are you doing here? Oh if you were waiting for us to perform, sorry, but we’re not the ones playing tonight.” Junhee felt a pang of disappointment even though that was not the reason he had came.

           “I’m just here for a drink.”

           “Oooh, what are we drinking? I want one too!” Junhee turned to see the blonde guitarist walk in. The bartender, Yoon, placed a soju down on the other side of Junhee before the blonde even sat down.

           “Hey it's you again!” he greeted Junhee with a goofy smile and brought his hand up for a high five.

           “That’s Yuchan. But we call him Chan. You can ignore him if you want. He’s always hyperactive.” Byeongkwan whispered from his other side.

           “Hey, I heard that. I am not always hyper. I just have more energy than you old people.”

           “Who are you calling old!”

           As Byeongkwan and Chan continued bickering, Sehyoon finally spoke to Junhee.

           “Hi, I’m Sehyoon. Sorry they are like this.” he smiled while shaking his head at the rising commotion.

           The two other boys whipped around at his comment.

           “What do you mean hyung. You’re the weirdest one out of all of us,” Chan stared at Sehyoon, daring him to protest.

           “No I'm not--” before the older boy could say anymore, Byeongkwan cut him off.

           “Would you like me to start counting all the times that I was embarrassed to be associated with you in public?” he raised his hand as if he would start listing out Sehyoon’s past incidents. Sehyoon quickly grabbed Byeongkwan’s hands and held them hostage.

           “No, that’s alright. Please don't say anything,” the poor boy begged. Byeongkwan smiled triumphantly and tried to pull his hands free, but Seyoon kept a firm grip while shaking his head. While the two boys continued their struggle, Junhee couldn't help but start giggling. The situation that was playing out before him was just too different from the impressions of the members he got last night and he didn't know what to make of it.

           Byeongkwan looked at Junhee incredulously, “What are you giggling at?”

           “Nothing,” Junhee managed before breaking out into a full laughter. Soon the rest of the boys joined in, partly at themselves and partly because of the idol fighting to keep his seat admist his laughter in front of them. Their laughter echoed through the empty bar, giving it more life than a full house in the evening would have. Junhee hadn't laughed so wholeheartedly in a long time and when he finally got control of himself again he was left with stomach pains and an aching jaw, but he felt more alive and recharged than ever.

           “Why are you guys so loud,” a familiar voice spoke over them as the boys started calming down. Leaning against the doorframe of the entrance was the last member of the band. Unlike yesterday, his hair was free of gel and fell softly against his forehead. He wore an oversized cardigan and a canvas bag hung from his shoulder.

           “Donghun, you’re finally here,” Sehyoon greeted, “What took you so long, the kids were misbehaving again.” That earned a smack on the shoulder from the small blonde next to him and a smirk from Donghun.

           “Looks like you guys were having a lot of fun without me,” Donghun observed as he walked over to the bar. Again, a beer was magically waiting for Donghun as he sat down on the other side of Sehyoon. “What did I miss?”

           “The idol came back!” Chan slung an arm over Junhee shoulder as if they had known each other for years. Junhee winced at the title of ‘idol’, but welcomed the instant acceptance that Chan showed him. Junhee turned towards Donghun and gave his proper introduction.

           “Hi. My name is Park Junhee. I was here last night watching your performance.”

           “I remember. You made quite an impression,” Donghun gave Junhee a crooked smile and watched as Junhee turn a shade of bright pink. He had felt this last night, but there was something about the singer’s eyes that made Junhee feel as if all his thoughts were uselessly transparent to other boy. Like an animal that has been surrounded, Junhee looked away, desperate for escape from Donghun’s gaze.

           “Ah yeah. Sorry about that. I was in a bit of a rush last night.” Junhee made a motion of glancing at his non-existent watch. “I should actually probably get going.” He downed the rest of his soju and got up to leave.

           “Already?” Byeongkwan pouted.

           “Yeah, my manager is going to be looking for me.” Junhee excused himself, but before he could take two steps, his muscles failed him once again and he tripped over his own feet. He prepared himself to meet the floor, but all of a sudden a pair of hands grabbed his arm and hoisted him back on his feet. He looked up to find himself face to face with Donghun.

           “Hi. You didn’t let me properly introduce myself. My name is Lee Donghun.”


	4. History in the Making

          “Are you okay? Hello? Anyone in there?” Donghun waved a hand in front of Junhee, checking for signs of life. In response, Junhee blinked. Once. Then twice. Junhee’s brain had stopped working, but his heart was racing and whether it was from the adrenaline of almost falling or if it was from something, or rather someone else, he wasn’t sure. After what felt like an eternity of staring blankly at Donghun, he returned to himself and realized that Donghun was trying to get his attention. He motioned at himself and then looked expectantly at Junhee.

          “Huh?” Junhee looked down and saw that he was clutching tightly onto the taller boy's cardigan. He had instinctively grabbed onto anything in his reaches when he almost fell and that happened to be the person he was trying to escape from moments ago.  


         “Can you stand by yourself now?” Donghun gave a low chuckle. Immediately, Junhee released his hold and took a few steps back.  


          “Sorry, I didn’t mean to. Thanks.”  


          “It’s okay," Donghun laughed again and this time the other members, who were watching intently, laughed along. “Maybe you should sit for a few more minutes. The soju might’ve gotten to your head.”  


          Junhee stood there, not knowing what to do for a moment, but Chan gave the seat next to him a few pats and motioned for him to sit, so he obeyed. After he sat, Yoon placed a glass of water in front of him.  


          “Thanks,” Junhee took a few sips and felt his heartbeat begin to settle. He could feel the eyes of the others watching him, but his brain had yet to start functioning so the only thing he could do was duck his head and try to shrink his presence. Luckily, Sehyoon turned the attention back towards Donghun.  


          “So why were you late? Was Sara giving you trouble again?” Donghun grimaced at the name.  


          “Yeah, she kept clinging onto me again.”  


          “You know, it still amazes me that you’re so good with the girls,” Byeongkwan remarked, “They seem to just gravitate towards you.”  


          “I think it's just because I’m the only guy around,” Donghun shrugged.  


          Junhee, who was trying to follow along with the conversation, mentally scoffed at the explanation. Honestly, anyone with two good eyes could tell that Donghun was very attractive, even speaking from a guy's point of view. It shouldn't be a surprise that girls would flock to him, Junhee thought. Still, it caught him by surprise that Donghun had a girlfriend.  


          “She even kissed me today. On the lips,” Donghun added.  


          “Wow, she must really like you,” Sehyoon laughed.  


          Junhee felt a pang in his chest. Even though, he didn't know who this Sara girl was, her aggressiveness was starting to irk him. But from Donghun’s tone of voice, Junhee decided that this was a one-sided crush from the girl’s side.  


          “You should probably draw some boundaries with her though,” Chan suggested. “It’s better for her to learn this early on so that it doesn't get worse.”  


          “I mean it was cute. It was just kind of embarrassing since everyone was watching,” Donghun explained. “I don't want to hurt her feelings or anything.”  


          Junhee was starting to pity the man. He was too nice to turn people down.  


          “Oh, she drew a picture of me today.” Donghun pulled a large sheet of paper out from his bag and showed them. On the paper was a stick figure surrounded by colorful flowers. Junhee could see a faint resemblance to Donghun from the shock of dark brown hair on the stick figure’s head and the two slightly slanted lines that represented eyes.  


          “For a 5 year old, her attention to detail is quite amazing. It’s got your eyes,” Byeongkwan snickered.  


          5 year old?  


          Junhee’s brain kicked into overdrive, going back through the conversation to see how he missed that. A 5 year old could cling onto people and give kisses while being cute. That made a lot of sense. Junhee nodded to himself and sighed a breath of relief. But where did this 5 year old come from? Junhee connected dots in his head until he finally saw the bigger picture. Sara must be Donghun’s daughter.  


          Junhee looked at Donghun and reevaluated him. He didn't look old enough to be a father of a 5 year old, but after his mistake earlier, Junhee decided that anything could be possible.  


          “Did you show that to her mother?” Chan asked.  


          “No, I didn't get a chance to. I was too busy trying to get Sara off of me when her mother came to pick her up. She wouldn't stop crying even when I promised I would see her next week.”  


          Sara’s mother. That must be Donghun’s wife, Junhee thought. But if the mother was picking Sara up from Donghun, does that mean they don't live together? Was Donghun and his wife separated already? Does Donghun only get to spend time with his daughter on weekends? Junhee's head spin in circles thinking about the possibilities.  


          Donghun must have seen the confusion written all over Junhee’s face so he kindly filled him in.  


          “I work at a children's daycare center and recently we got a new girl called Sara. At first she had a hard time adjusting, but she eventually warmed up to me,” Donghun explained. “But now she's kind of attached.”  


          “O-oh, I see.” Junhee mentally kicked himself. What was he thinking!? “I thought Sara might have been your child,” Junhee announced without a second thought, causing Chan to burst out laughing.  


          “Donghun isn't that old!”  


          Donghun frowned, “Do I look like a father already?”  


          “Oh no! I didn't mean it like that! I...” he paused for a few moments. “Actually I'm not sure what I was thinking,” he concluded lamely. Junhee took a gulp of water and swore that he would never drink during the day again. Clearly, that must be the cause of his stupidity right now.  


          “It's okay, you can be honest. After all, Donghun is the oldest one out of all of us and he's of age to be married,” Sehyoon teased with a grin.  


          Donghun elbowed Sehyoon in the ribs. “We’re the same age. It's just that I don't have the mentality of a 6 year old.” Donghun rebutted, but Sehyoon only continued smiling.  


          Suddenly from Junhee’s right came a loud grumble. Everyone looked towards Chan who looked back guiltily, as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.  


          “Sorry, but I think it's time for dinner,” Chan explained while rubbing his stomach. The others chuckled and got up to leave. “You're coming right?” Chan asked Junhee when he didn't move.  


          “I should probably go back now…” Junhee trailed off. He was torn because he wanted to learn more about his new acquaintances, but at the same time he wanted to prevent any further embarrassment.  


          “Even idols need to eat,” Byeongkwan persuaded, “If anything, Sehyoon should be the one staying behind, seeing how he just finished his lunch.” Byeongkwan shot the dark haired boy another glare.  


          “Noo, that was lunch, this is dinner. Different meals have different stomachs,” Sehyoon grinned. “I think everyone should eat together, right Junhee?” he pleaded, but Junhee was still skeptical.  


          “You should come.” Donghun said with finality. Junhee looked at the bartender for advice, but he only shrugged. Junhee sighed. Just dinner won't hurt right? Besides Chanwoo would be checking whether he ate or not. But before Junhee could say anything else, Chan grabbed his shoulders and herded him towards the door.  


          “You're taking too long. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go!” Chan chanted and everyone filed out the door after them.  


          “Remember to come early on Friday! You guys are playing,” Yoon called after them.  


          “Will do. See you later Yoon!” Donghun called back.  


          After they emerged from the bar, they headed across the street. Dusk was approaching and the lights that flooded out of store windows illuminated the city more so than the setting sun. Hongdae was more lively now, with the nightly activities starting to fill the streets and Junhee pulled his beanie down a little lower out of habit. However, their group bypassed the increasing bustle and walked down a quieter alley without a word.  Junhee followed the others into a small restaurant and was welcomed by the smell of fried chicken. The waiter greeted them and the band went straight to a booth at the back of the restaurant. Only after they all settled themselves did Donghun finally break the silence.  


          “Are you okay with chicken?” he asked Junhee belatedly.  


          “Yeah, I love it.” Junhee didn't eat much of it nowadays, but his manager used to buy it for him as a reward back during his trainee days after a hard day of practice.  


          “This is our favorite chicken place so we come here a lot. This booth is basically ours.” Chan bragged.  


          “That's because you guys scare all the other customers away,” a plump older woman interrupted. She placed five glasses of water onto the table and smiled fondly at the maknae. “The regular?”  


          “Yup, but we need to add one more. We have a guest today,” Chan looked towards Junhee. “What do you want?”  


          “Umm,” Junhee looked towards the wall where the menu was listed out in big lettering. “I'll have the red combo,” he finally decided.  
Chan gave Junhee a wide-eyed look and then raised his hand up again for a high-five. Even though Junhee was confused, he raised his hand and Chan gave it a resounding slap.  


          “Okay!” Chan cheered.  


          “Red combo is our unanimous favorite,” Byeongkwan explained.  


          “So 3 red combos and 1 extra spice?” the lady confirmed. The boys looked around at each other and when no one raised any objections, the lady nodded and walked back to the kitchen.  


          “I think we are going to get along just fine,” Donghun said.  


          Sehyoon nodded gravely, “If we can share chicken, we can share many things.” Junhee smiled and mentally patted himself on the shoulder for picking red combo.  


          “So is this chicken test what you put all your friends through?” Junhee asked jokingly  


          Donghun laughed, “No, but it’s good for confirmation.”  


          “How did you guys meet anyways? And form A.C.E?” Junhee had been curious about this since he watched the band first perform. They all seemed so different, but somehow meshed really well together.  


          “Sehyoon and I were in the same year in college and in the same music club as well,” Donghun started. He looked at Sehyoon and gave a smirk before continuing. “We weren't really friends though because Sehyoon was going through his broody phase.”  


          “No I wasn't,” Sehyoon pouted at his friend. “I was just on the quiet side.”  


          Donghun gave another laugh and continued. “Byeongkwan was a year under us, but he joined the same club during our last year. I guess he kinda brought us together.”  


          “A.C.E would have been nothing without me.” Byeongkwan straightened his shoulders proudly and wiggled his brows at Junhee who giggled in response. Donghun rolled his eyes at the younger.  


          “To be exact, he followed Sehyoon around until the poor guy finally gave in. And then he came to me, the best singer in the club, and begged me to form a band with them.” Donghun stated curtly, bringing Byeongkwan’s shoulders down a notched.  


          “He wanted to be in it,” the blonde boy muttered under his breath.  


          “As for Chan--,”  


          “I’m from Jeju,” Chan interrupted, “but I moved to Seoul for university.”  


          “Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to Jeju.” Junhee smiled just at the thought of being surrounded by the blue ocean.  


          “You should come visit!” My parents own a tangerine farm and they are really delicious. We also live so close to the ocean that we take a stroll on the beach every night. And the air. The air is so fresh.” Chan’s eyes glistened with excitement as he talked about his hometown and Junhee couldn’t help but mirror the wide smile of the younger boy next to him.  


          “Yeah, he invited us over once and his house is really nice too,” Byeongkwan added. He looked at Chan and mused, “I still don’t understand why you left. The place was like heaven.”  


          “Because I want to be in Seoul! I want to do music,” Chan answered without hesitation. And then, almost as if he felt the need to make it obvious, he looked his hyungs’ in the eyes and added, “With you guys.”  


          The other A.C.E members smiled fondly at their maknae and Junhee felt a moment of jealousy. For the first time, he felt like an intruder as he watched the members silently acknowledge their bond to music and to each other. Perhaps he was also a little jealous of the passion that showed in Chan’s response. It reminded him of when Junhee left his family in Suncheon and decided for himself that he would train to become an idol. He had come to Seoul with a passion for music, excitement for his future, and confidence in himself. He could never be sure that it was the right path, but he never once regretted it because it was his choice. However, there were times during his career where he wondered if he were to be put in a similar situation now, would he have the same resolve as he did back then to make the same decision? Junhee looked back at Chan and realized that the boy who had seemed like just a happy carefree guy this afternoon was also the same guitarist who played his heart out on stage last night. Somehow he knew that if Chan set his mind to it, he would be able to make it in the entertainment industry.  


          “We’re already playing in a band together,” Donghun reminded Chan.  


          “As a hobby. All of you guys have full-time jobs,” Chan pointed out. “You know what I mean. I want to us to do this,” he made a wide gesture to include all of them, “as a living. I want A.C.E to be forever.”  


         The other members seemed like they were used to this conversation and only smiled back, but their evading eyes revealed that they were skeptical.  


          “You guys don’t believe me now, but I’m going to make this happen. Trust me, this right here is history in the making.”


	5. The Way Home

          Dinner passed by quickly afterwards. The chicken came and disappeared before Junhee’s eyes, but not before he devoured a few pieces himself. He had to admit, this restaurant served some of the best chicken he’s ever had.  


          Like most guys, the band didn’t talk much through dinner since their focus was solely on the food in front of them. When they did take a pause between bites, they asked Junhee about idol life and if he had met their favorite celebrities before. Junhee found the conversation quite amusing since he never really had to talk about the entertainment world with people outside the industry. Things that he thought were a given surprised the band members and Junhee found himself looking at his own life in a different light.  


          When the boys were finished and the only things remaining on the table were clean chicken bones, the waitress came by and cleared them away. Everyone got up and shuffled out the door before bidding their goodbyes.  


          “I’m going to head back to the dorm. Got to finish up some homework.” Chan made a face that made Junhee pity the university student. “It was nice meeting you, Junhee! You should swing by the bar sometime, so we can hang out again.”  


          “We’re performing on Friday if you’re interested,” Byeongkwan added.  


          “Yeah, maybe I’ll drop by.” I won’t have any schedules anyways, Junhee thought.  


          “Okay, we’re going to go home too, before I freeze to death.” The temperature had dropped as the night came and Byeongkwan was visibly shivering in his thin jacket. Sehyoon put an arm around him in attempt to shield him from the cold and Byeongkwan huddled closer for warmth. The three boys waved goodbye and headed off together down the street. Junhee turned to face the last member.  


          After a brief silence, Donghun spoke up, “Guess I should go too. Get home safely.”  


          “Yeah, you too. See you around,” Junhee replied. With that, Donghun started heading back down the alley where they had come. Junhee looked after him for a few moments before realizing he had to go the same way. Awkwardly, he began to quietly trail a few meters behind the older boy.  


          The alley only had a few street lamps and they were spaced out in a way that created long shadows of everything that passed through. As the two made their way home, Junhee’s eyes were glued to the shadow of the boy in front of him. He watched the shadow slowly shrink as Donghun walked closer and closer to the next street lamp, unconsciously chasing after it. When Donghun finally passed underneath the light, the shadow disappeared altogether and Junhee's eyes landed on the illuminated figure of Donghun.  


          At that moment, Donghun suddenly turned around.  


          “Are you following me?” he asked.  


          “No!” Junhee denied, flustered since he thought Dongjun hadn’t noticed him. “My apartment is this way.”  


          “I see,” Donghun turned back around and continued down the alley. The two walked silently, one after the other for a little while before Donghun spun around again at the next light.  


          “Are you sure? Because it sure seems like you’re following me.” But a teasing smile played at the corner of Donghun’s lips.  


          Junhee laughed and shook his head in reply.  


          “Why don't you come walk next to me then. This way it doesn't feel like someone is stalking me,” Donghun grinned and motioned to the empty space besides him. Junhee could only chuckle at that and closed the distance between him and the other boy.  


          This time they headed off together and Junhee watched their two shadows walk ahead of them, side by side. He had a sudden urge to put bunny ears on top of the other's head, but his years of training taught him to uphold his idol image so instead he stuffed his hands deep into his pockets.  


          The silence that fell between them wasn't the awkward kind, but the comfortable kind that wraps up the end of a long, but fulfilling day. It surprised Junhee how calm he felt walking next to a stranger that he had barely known for a day, but there was something about Donghun’s steady presence at his side that reassured him. The conversation he had with his company earlier, the stage from yesterday, even the worries for tomorrow were distant thoughts. In that moment, there was just him and Donghun.  


          But no silence could last forever. Soon they emerged onto the main street and Junhee pulled his beanie down and ducked his head out of habit. Their peaceful stroll turned into struggle against the bustle as everyone walked quickly to their destinations, eager to get out of the cold. Influenced by the pace of the crowd, Junhee and Donghun also quickened their steps, but managed to stay together.  


          “So is this how idols usually spend their Sundays?” Donghun finally asked.  


          “What do you mean?”  


          “I just didn't think they normally hit up bars in the middle of the day and befriend the locals you know,” Donghun gave Junhee a sideways glance when he didn't get a reply, wondering if his question came off as offensive. But the reason Junhee hesitated in answering was because he didn’t have one. What would he be doing on any other Sunday night? Probably in the practice room drilling his unreasonably difficult dance routines or at the recording studio writing and rewriting his lyrics. But he didn't have to do that anymore. There was no stage to prepare for, no song to release, no expectations to be met starting today.  


          “I'm not an idol anymore,” Junhee said to himself more than anyone else, finally realizing and accepting the reality of how his life had changed in the last 24 hours.  


          All of a sudden, a hand yanked at his arm, making him stumble backwards. Moments later, a car whizzed by barely a foot in front of Junhee. He had been in such a stupor, that he was about to walk right into traffic.  


          “Watch where you're going,” Donghun scolded.  


          Junhee looked back and saw Donghun staring back at him, eyebrows furrowed and eyes dark with emotion that Junhee couldn't identify.  


          “Sorry.” Junhee looked away and Donghun dropped his grip on his arm. Again, they fell into silence, waiting for the traffic light to change.  


          After a long moment, Donghun asked, “What did you mean by that?”  


          “I should have payed more attention.”  
“No. About not being an idol anymore.”  


          Junhee met Donghun’s eyes again and this time they were softer, but Junhee still couldn’t hold the gaze. For some reason, he was scared of how the other boy would react to his next words.  


          “I’m on a hiatus… I don't know until when. Maybe forever,” Junhee trailed off, barely allowing himself to be heard amongst the crowd. He waited for another question, but it never came. Junhee took a peek at Donghun, but his face was again masked with an emotion that he couldn't put a finger on.  


          “Lets go,” Donghun said instead and led Junhee across the street. Junhee followed, his eyes on the heels of the boy in front of him, unsure of how to continue the conversation. Donghun glanced back when he felt Junhee's absence at his side and let out an audible sigh. He stopped for a second, allowing Junhee to catch up and their steps to synchronized.  


          “Look up when you walk. There's nothing on the ground for you,” his tone that an exasperated adult talking to a 5 year old. After the trouble he caused earlier, Junhee decided to heed the advice. At first he kept his eyes forward, focused on making his way through the crowd, but as the people lessened, he let his eyes wander hesitantly at his surroundings. To his surprise, it felt… odd… Since his debut, Junhee never really looked at the faces of strangers. Sure, he always saw his fans at his schedules, but they were different. They gave off a single presence that had become familiar to him. He knew the names of some of his long time fans, but even those who were new somehow seemed familiar anyways.  


          But since his debut, he never really let himself mingle too much among the common folk. He caught small glimpses of them in the few steps between his van and the destination of his schedules. He made quick greetings to those he bumped into during his hurried midnight runs to the convenient store. But for the most part, the faces that he saw were just blurs. One face indistinguishable from the next. Inconsequential, yet objects to beware of.  


          Now, as Junhee walked down the street, he allowed himself to look at them, really look at them. He examined the face of each person who walked by. One pair seemed to be a mother and daughter going home after a shopping spree, both tired from walking all day and shopping bags weighing down their shoulders. Another man looked to be an office worker, face drawn into a scowl, heading to the bar for a much needed drink. Three school girls walked past, arms linked, probably laughing about some incident at school. A couple brushed past Junhee, so in love and lost in their conversation that they didn't even pause. Perhaps the part that surprised Junhee the most was that although Junhee watched each passerby intently and could see all their emotions flitting across their faces, not a single one of them ever met eyes with Junhee. No one turned to wonder who he might be and what his story was. It seemed like all of a sudden, Junhee was the faceless one among all these people. And with each person he walked passed, Junhee felt his heart grow heavier.  


          Soon he and Donghun reached the intersection where they had to part ways.  


          “For some reason it feels like I need to thank you for walking me home,” Junhee gave a small chuckle trying to break the awkwardness.  


          Donghun smiled. “I can walk you all the way to your door, but usually I require a good night kiss as payment,” he joked.  


          “I think I'm okay,” Junhee rejected, but he could feel a slight heat in his cheeks despite the cool weather. He waved goodbye and started to leave.  


          “Junhee,” He turned back at the sound of his name and saw Donghun struggling to find his next words, brows knitted and lips slightly pressed together in a line. Junhee waited, rooted at his spot, already a few meters down the street. When older boy spoke, it was in a voice so low that Junhee shouldn't have been able to hear it, but he did.  


          “Even if you aren't standing up on stage in front of flashing lights, you're still Park Junhee. Nothing will change that so you shouldn't let it bring you down,” Donghun made a motion that could have been a shrug or a shiver before saying with finality, “You'll be fine.” Then the older boy headed off without waiting for a reply.  


          Junhee stayed motionless long after Donghun disappeared around the corner, but a smile had crept across his face. He had thought that his words hadn’t affected the other boy at all since he got no reaction after his confession, but Junhee finally realized that the expression that Donghun had been wearing on his face this whole time was worry. The thought that Donghun had struggled to find those words of comfort for him warmed Junhee to his core and as he walked the rest of the way home, his steps were light.


	6. Between the Notes

          The next couple of days passed by surprisingly quickly. Junhee realized that there were things on his to-do list that he has just been ignoring because he didn't have time for them. He finally went through all his fan gifts and letters, tearing up as he read a few. He cleaned and reorganized his closet that looked like it had been vomiting out clothes. He finally put together the weight machine that he bought on impulse, but didn't actually use it. He also attempted to cook his own meals rather than ordering takeout all the time. His success at this is subjective, but Junhee deemed it edible. He also finished reading a book that had been put on hold for several months. In between these chores, he managed to catch up on the latest episodes of his favorite drama. And just like that, 4 days were gone.

          But on the afternoon of the fifth day, Junhee was lazing on his bed, dying of boredom. He picked up his phone and scroll through Twitter mindlessly, but the celebrity gossip and memes did not hold his attention for long. He glanced at his watch, wondering how much time was left in the day. It was 5pm. Another 7 hours to go. And then another 24 hours after that. And another 24 hours after that. Junhee sighed. He picked up his phone again and scrolled through his contacts, wondering if there was anyone who could fill up his otherwise very empty schedule. His first thought was his manager, but he decided against that since Chanwoo called to check up on him everyday already and Junhee was beginning to feel like a burden placed in his care. The next name he paused at was a member of his dance crew. Just as he was about to dial, he remembered they were on tour with another artist in Japan right now, so he continued scrolling.

          The orange glow of the setting sun streaked through his blinds and Junhee turned to watch the dimming light. It's Friday he realized. Without another thought, Junhee rolled out of bed, threw on a jacket and a baseball hat, and sped out the door.

          Not even 10 minutes later, he was skipping down the stairs to the now familiar underground bar. At the bottom, he took a breath to calm his racing heart and opened the door, letting a gust of cold wind follow him in.

          Junhee looked around at the customers sprinkled around the room and waved at Yoon who, as always, stood behind the bar table, but the stage at the other end of the bar remained empty. Junhee stood at the entrance wondering if he should take a seat close to the stage or return to his previous spot at the bar and ultimately decided that no one was going to be watching him anyways. He weaved his way up to a table with a good view of the stage and sat and waited.

         Half an hour passed by and Junhee was still sitting idly. He was inspecting the drumset in the middle of the empty stage from afar, mentally tracing over each component in his mind, imagining their sound and putting together a silent rhythm. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Yoon setting down a mug of beer.

          “You know, they probably won't be here for a little while. If you want, you can go into the band’s waiting room. Might be a little more comfortable there.” Yoon motioned to a hidden door next to the stage. Junhee looked around and realized the room was slowly filling up.

          “That would be awesome.” He shot the bartender an appreciative smile and got up, taking his newly acquired beer with him.

          The inside of the waiting room was surprising spacious. Couches lined one side of the room while instruments and other miscellaneous items for the bar filled the other. The far end was a mirrored wall with a counter for the band's makeup and preparations. Junhee didn't bother to find the light switch since it was already dimly lit by the lightbulbs that topped the mirrored counter. He headed for one of the couches, but a glint of light reflecting off a blue bass from the other side of the room caught his eye. He was surprised that a musician would leave his instrument unattended and he knew that it was impolite to touch it without permission from its owner, but before he knew it, Junhee was gliding his fingers along the neck of the instrument. When he reached the body of it, he placed his fingers on the strings and gave it a light strum. Realization of what he was doing hit him at the same time the notes hit his ears. Junhee quickly muted the strings and spun his head towards the door, his heart pounding at the thought that someone saw him.

          He stood there, completely still, for a few minutes, listening to the calm buzz of the bar, waiting for someone to come in and catch him in the act, but no one did. Junhee released a breath he didn't know he was holding and turned back towards the instruments. His gaze passed over the blue bass that he was still holding and landed on the acoustic guitar that sat besides it. Emboldened by the stillness that surrounded him, he picked up the guitar and brought it over to a seat at the counter. Back when Junhee was a trainee he often played the guitar as he composed. Nowadays, he gave in to the convenience of his studio equipment and his guitar had been put to rest in the closet of his apartment.

          He delicately rested the instrument he was borrowing on his knee and brushed his fingers along the strings. Satisfied by the whisper of notes that it produced, Junhee turned his attention to his other hand wrapped around the neck. Although Junhee was rusty, his fingers quickly found the familiar C chord. The notes rang carefully into the room and Junhee moved onto the F chord, the common progression sill embedded into his hands. Then the G chord. Junhee played delicately as he reaccustomed himself to the instrument, but soon his fingers flew across the strings boldly as he played an improvised melody. The notes sang out effortlessly into the empty room and although it may come off as conceited, Junhee became mesmerized by his only song, humming along as he played.

          Finally, after his fingers had gotten tired and his throat sore, Junhee's song came to an end. He found himself breathless as if he had just finished a concert.

          “So. You play the guitar.”

          Junhee's head shot up and through the mirror, he met the eyes of Donghun who was standing just behind him with his hands resting on the back of Junhee's chair. He had his dark hair pushed back much like the first night Junhee saw him and dressed in a leather jacket, he very much looked like a member of a rock band. A cross dangled from his left ear and choker accentuated his neck, but Junhee could only focus on the crinkle at the edges of Donghun's eyes caused by the crooked smile that hung on the older's face.

          “I’m sorry! I didn't mean to borrow your guitar. I mean I did, but-” Junhee was rising out of his seat to put back the instrument, but Donghun gently pushed him back down into the chair.

         “It's alright. I don't mind if you play with my things. But how about I get a song in return for you borrowing it?” Donghun cocked his head to the side, still staring at Junhee through the mirror.

          “A song?”

          “Yeah. After all, I only caught the end of the one you were playing.”

          Stricken with guilt, Junhee  could only agree. “Um sure. Any song?”

          “Hmmm,” a crease appeared between Donghun's brows as he contemplated the question before a teasing smile dawned on his face.

          “How about Star? I remember you did quite a beautiful rendition of it on the radio not too long ago.”

         Junhee stared dumbfounded at the boy smirking at him from behind. He heard him on the radio??

          Donghun chuckled at the sight of the idol gaping at him slackjawed.

          “Don't remember the chords? I can help you with that.”

          All of a sudden, the older boy leaned over Junhee's shoulder and placed his hands on top Junhee's, shifting the position of his left hand to the correct chord and gripping Junhee's other hand to softly strum the strings.

          “Remember now?” Donghun spoke in low voice almostly directly into Junhee's ear, sending a shiver down the boy’s spine. He managed a small nod and willed his fingers to move on their own. When Junhee finally got a grip on himself and started playing on his own, Donghun relaxed his grip on the other's fingers, but stayed hovering over the boy’s shoulder.

          After playing through the first and second verse of the melody, Junhee finally relaxed and started singing along to the rest of the song, doing his best to ignore the presence right next to him.

 _In the night sky_  
_I can see a particular shining star_  
_To me, it’s exactly like you_  
_I’m late but please understand_ _  
_ The words that I treasure everyday

_You're my Star_  
_(You're my Star)_

__

          Junhee turned in surprise when Donghun harmonized with him on the last line. For the first time that day, Junhee looked directly into Donghun's eyes rather than through the mirror and as always he got caught in their trap. Donghun's dark eyes bore into him and seemingly unaware that the song even ended. Was Donghun staring at him like this the entire time he was playing?

__

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic so my apologies for any mistakes or inconsistencies! Random ideas keep popping into my head so this is my attempt at making them into a coherent story. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments!


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